A. Field of Invention
This invention relates to seating and storage of adjustable seats in motor vehicles. More particularly, this invention is directed to SUV and minivan type vehicles having two or three rows of seating where it is desirable to adjust the seats in the forward and rearward directions and to fold the seats and store them in a recess or compartment behind the seating rows.
B. Description of the Related Art
SUV vehicles and minivan vehicles are well known to provide three rows of seats where the second and third rows (from the front of the vehicle) may be removed entirely or folded and stored in compartments behind the passenger carrying positions so as to provide more cargo area. Such known seats, however, are directly hinged to the vehicle floor and therefore are not adjustable in the forward or rearward directions. This has resulted in limited leg room for the passengers. Also, when one row of known seats are folded and stored, the row of seats that remained can not be moved forward to expand cargo room or rearward to expand leg room because no such adjustment of the seats is provided.
In U.S. Pat. No. 5,269,581, there is provided a collapsible seat pivotally mounted on the vehicle at the floor level whereby the seat back can be folded against the seat cushion and the folded seat assembly can then be angularly moved into a recess behind the seat position. Because the seat cushion is hinged to the floor it is not possible to provide for forward or backward adjustment of the seat.
In U.S. Pat. No. 5,954,398, there is provided a seating arrangement in which a rear seat cushion is foldable into a recess behind the front seat and the rear seat back is foldable over the rear seat cushion in the recess to provide cargo space behind the front seat. However, there is no teaching or showing of folding the seat back and seat cushion into the recess as a unit. There is also no teaching or showing of forward or backward adjustment of the seat.
In U.S. Pat. No. 6,629,721, individual seats for passengers are provided. Each seat is mounted on a linkage arrangement for lowering and raising the seat so that it can be reduced in height and can be placed into a stowed position. There is no provision for adjusting the seat forward or rearward in the passenger carrying position.